For the development of running gears with regard to the desired dynamic behavior of the vehicle and also with regard to the assessment of the comfort situation for the occupants of the vehicle, the most accurate knowledge possible of the interaction of the individual components of the running gear, and in this case especially of the spring strut, with the remaining components of the running gear, and also the recording of the forces and vibrations which are introduced onto the frame from the running gear in the process, are of particular importance. Checking these values in a test stand is arranged against the backdrop of the restricted accessibility of the running gear components, of the limited clearance for the associated measurement techniques and also of the measuring which is possible, but difficult, only at a very late time point of the development of the vehicle.
Therefore, on the one hand it is necessary to measure dynamic spring strut characteristic values in an objective and reproducible manner, under conditions which are as close to reality as possible. On the other hand, the spring strut which is installed in a sub-assembly or in the complete axle of the vehicle only allows information about the forces and vibrations which are transmitted from the running gear to the frame, which in turn depend significantly upon the elastokinematics of the spring strut in the installed state under load.
DE 601 33 799 T2 describes a test stand for testing running gear components, with the aid of which an analysis of the wheel movement characteristics (for example wheel camber, track width and wheel caster) in an independent wheel suspension system with regard to the influence of various installed positions and the length of connecting elements in a steering system and in a suspension system, and also the recording of the associated wheel kinematics of the excited wheel on the test stand, are possible.
Reference may additionally be made to printed publication WO 2007/133601 A2 which describes a test stand for a body, in which each wheel is individually seated on an associated post and is excited by this in the vertical direction, wherein provision is furthermore made for actuators for applying longitudinal and lateral forces to the body.